Thomas Collins (Arizona politician)
Thomas Collins | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Arizona Senate from the Pima County district | |
| In office January 1955 – December 1956 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Kimball |
| Succeeded by | Harry Ackerman |
| In office January 1951 – December 1952 | |
| Preceded by | J. B. Mead |
| Succeeded by | James W. Ewing |
| In office January 1931 – December 1936 | |
| Preceded by | Merton Martensen |
| Succeeded by | Henry A. Dalton August Wieden |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1883 County Cork, Ireland |
| Died | February 25, 1966 (aged 82–83) Tucson, Arizona |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Mary M. Duffy |
| Residence | Tucson, Arizona |
| Profession | Politician |
Thomas Collins was an American politician from Arizona. He served several terms in the Arizona State Senate, his first stint lasting from the 10th through 12th Arizona State Legislatures, holding one of the two seats from Pima County. He also served from Pima County during the 20th and 22nd Arizona State Legislatures. He also served several terms on the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
Biography
[edit]Collins was born in 1883 in County Cork, Ireland.[1] Collins moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1904, and began working for the Southern Pacific Railroad as an engineer, where he remained for 47 years until his retirement in 1961.[1] In 1918, Collins was on the Tucson Board of Freeholders, and was one of the men responsible for drafting the city's charter that year.[2][3]
In 1922, Collins was elected to the Pima County Board of Supervisors.[4] He ran for re-election in 1924, defeating Danie Burke in the Democrat primary.[5][6] In the general election in November, Collins lost by a single vote, 1608–1607, to Republican J. P. Compton.[7][8] Collins did file a recount petition, during which the question of whether or not Papago Indians had the right to vote. Collins eventually dropped his suit, making Compton the winner.[9][10] He ran for the Board of Supervisors again in 1926, defeating Steve Roemer in the primary, but losing to Republican George Bedell in the general election.[11][12]
Collins married Mary M. Duffy on August 21, 1928. Although Duffy was also from Tucson, the two married in Los Angeles.[13] In 1930, he ran for one of the two seats in the Arizona State Senate from Pima County. He and fellow Democrat, T. W. Donnelly, the incumbent, were uncontested in the primary, with Collins taking the top spot.[14] The two Democrats easily defeated their Republican opponents in the general election, with Collins once again taking the top spot.[15][16] Both he and Donnelly ran for re-election in 1932. It was initially reported that both went down to defeat in the primary. However, when all the votes were counted, Collins came in second in a four-man race, with E. T. Houston the top vote-getter.[17][18] They easily defeated the Republicans in the November general election.[19] Collins and Houston both ran for re-election in 1934, taking the top two spots in a six-man Democrat primary. They were unopposed in the general election.[20][21] In 1936, Collins did not run for re-election to the State Senate, instead choosing to run for the Democrat nomination to run for Arizona's seat in the U. S. House of Representatives. He finished seventh in a field of eleven.[22]
Collins once again ran for the State Senate, this time in 1950. He and incumbent Bill Kimball easily defeated the Republicans in November.[23] Kimball and Collins ran for re-election in 1952, however, while Kimball won, Collins finished fourth.[24][25] He was back in 1954, coming in second behind Republican Hiram S. Corbett in the general election.[26] He ran one last time in 1956 for re-election, but lost in the general election, coming in third.[27] Collins died on February 25, 1966, in St. Mary's Hospital in Tucson.[1][28]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Ex-State Senator Tom Collins Dies". Arizona Daily Star. February 26, 1966. p. 3. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Proposed Charter of the City of Tucson State of Arizona". Arizona Daily Star. January 16, 1918. pp. 7–10. Retrieved May 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Proposed Charter of the City of Tucson State of Arizona". Tucson Citizen. July 29, 1919. p. 14. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "First Complete List of County Officials Elected Last Tuesday". Tucson Citizen. July 29, 1919. p. 14. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Important County Jobs See No Candidates for G. O. P. On Pima Ballots". Arizona Daily Star. August 10, 1924. p. 2. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Candidates For Office In Pima County Named". The Arizona Republican. September 20, 1924. p. 14. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Single Vote Lead Given To Compton". Arizona Daily Star. November 6, 1924. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Votes Sustained, Collins Silent About Recount". Arizona Daily Star. November 18, 1924. p. 2. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Pima Supervisor To File Petition For Vote Recount". The Arizona Republican. November 29, 1924. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Supervisor Suit In Pima County Is Dropped By Collins". The Arizona Republican. December 22, 1924. p. 2. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "All Count Races In Primary Settled But Flock-League Contest". Tucson Citizen. September 9, 1926. p. 3. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Geo. Bedell Beats Collins 2480 to 2317, J. Ronstadt Is Victor Over J. Compton". Tucson Citizen. November 4, 1926. p. 3. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tom Collins Is To Be Benedict". Arizona Daily Star. August 20, 1928. p. 3. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Smith Leading Cella By Large Vote; Hall Wins". Arizona Daily Star. September 10, 1930. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "All Contests In Arizona Decided". Arizona Republic. November 7, 1930. p. 2. Retrieved October 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "How Pima County Cast Its Ballot". Arizona Daily Star. November 18, 1930. p. 2. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Democrats Name Houston-Hodges". Tucson Citizen. September 16, 1932. p. 2. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Close Winners Get Their Certificates". Arizona Daily Star. September 23, 1932. p. 5. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "How Pima County Voted". Arizona Daily Star. November 15, 1932. p. 2. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Complete Results of Vote in Pima". Arizona Daily Star. September 14, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Canvass Makes Small Changes". Arizona Daily Star. November 14, 1934. p. 8. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Official State Vote Is Given". Arizona Daily Star. September 29, 1936. p. 5. Retrieved October 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Imposing Pima Vote Aids Pyle". Arizona Daily Star. November 9, 1950. p. 10. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "State Leaders Hurt In Voting". Tucson Citizen. September 11, 1952. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ewing Sets Precedent". Tucson Citizen. November 5, 1952. p. 1. Retrieved October 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Official Canvass of November 2, 1954, General Election Returns". Arizona Daily Star. November 30, 1954. p. 21. Retrieved October 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ackerman, Corbett Win". Tucson Citizen. November 7, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved October 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ex-Senator Tom Collins Dies At 83". Tucson Citizen. February 26, 1966. p. 17. Retrieved October 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
